Rumor suggests BBC shows arriving on iTunes this week

The BBC may announce the launch of TV content on the iTunes Store as soon as …

Most of the BBC discussion in recent months has focused on iPlayer, which provides BBC content on-demand to UK Windows users. The current iPlayer will supposedly be coming as a standalone application to OS X and an Apple TV feature last this year, but folks in other markets still won't be able to get their hands on the content. That may be changing, though: according to a rumor covered by The Register, the BBC may be announcing a distribution deal with Apple sometime very soon.

Based on information from a "TV industry source," a deal between Apple and BBC Worldwide for iTunes Store distribution will be announced on Tuesday, and has already been communicated to some of the BBC's partners. The move comes as part of an attempt by BBC Worldwide to make some extra money off of the BBC's content. BBC Worldwide will be launching a download service later in the year, but is apparently exploring multiple new distribution avenues in addition to the in-house offering.

Unfortunately, we don't have any of the specifics of the deal, which are the really juicy bits. The biggest question is whether or not content will be available in the US as well as in the UK. If so, UK version of Kitchen Nightmares, here I come.